A course grounded in traditional midwifery, modern first aid, and deep reverence for physiological birth.

A non-judgemental, home birth–friendly learning space for birthkeepers from around the world to come together, share wisdom, and prepare for the unexpected.

Gain practical tools, deepen your confidence, and learn to respond with calm and care when mother or baby need attention.

About the course

This course is for midwives, birth attendants and doulas, attending physiological birth at home or in low-resource settings. Whether you’re just starting out or deepening your practice, you’ll learn practical responses to real-life situations when mother or baby may need attention.

About the Facilitator

I'm Ruth Ehrhardt, a traditional midwife, birth attendant, and mother from South Africa. This course is rooted in my years of experience attending home births, responding to real-life emergencies, and teaching Helping Babies Breathe and Helping Mothers Survive across Africa. Birth First Aid is a practical, grounded offering born from the wisdom of many births—and the people who have taught me through them.

What You'll Learn in the Birth First Aid for Mother and Baby Course:

This course is rooted in the Helping Babies Breathe and Helping Mothers Survive philosophies and is designed to empower all who attend births at home. Through a blend of storytelling, demonstration, and discussion, you’ll gain essential tools for responding confidently to birth emergencies while holding true to physiological birth and respectful care.

Foundations of Birth Preparation
Understand the importance of preparing for birth, including how to plan appropriately, what birth physiology involves, and the difference between normal and pathological scenarios in birth. You'll also learn the core skills and tools necessary to support a safe and smooth birth.

Helping Babies Who Struggle to Breathe
Gain practical knowledge on how to assess and respond when a baby struggles to breathe at birth. This includes understanding the common causes and steps to take to restore normal breathing.

Managing More Than Normal Blood Loss After Birth
Learn the essential steps for handling postpartum haemorrhage and managing more than normal blood loss. Through case studies and demonstrations, you'll become confident in knowing what to look for and how to intervene quickly.

Shoulder Dystocia, Cord Issues, and Surprise Breech Births
Get equipped with strategies to manage shoulder dystocia, cord prolapse, and surprise breech births—birth first aid scenarios that can arise unexpectedly. We will walk through real-life scenarios, discuss preventive measures, and demonstrate techniques.

Herbal and Homeopathic Support for Birth First Aid
Explore how to use herbs and homeopathy to support birth first aid scenrios—gently, respectfully, and in alignment with the body’s wisdom.

Holding Space for All Outcomes
Together, we will reflect on how to navigate birth experiences that include death, loss, or disability. We’ll explore how to support families with compassion while also tending to our own recovery—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Final Review and Reflection
In our closing call, you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on the course content, ask any lingering questions, and solidify your learning. We'll recap everything we've covered and ensure you're ready to implement the skills and knowledge from the course in real-world situations.

Course Format & Flow

📅 Live Zoom Call Schedule

We will gather live on Zoom for six group calls to deepen our learning, share experiences, ask questions, and explore demonstrations together.

🕚 All sessions take place from 11:00 – 14:00 SAST (South African Standard Time).

You can check your time zone here for the first session on 3 March 2026.

📍 Course Call Dates

Session 1 – Tue 3 March 2026 – Opening Call & Preparation for Birth

• Orientation and introductions to the course and facilitators
• Getting to know one another
• How to be prepared for birth & appropriate planning
• Understanding birth physiology & realms of normal vs pathology
• The foundation and importance of protecting and guarding birth
• Basic skills and tools

Session 2 – Tue 10 March 2026 – Preparation for Birth (continued) & Introduction to Supporting Newborn Transition After Birth

• Continue with foundations of being prepared for birth
• Sharing stories and examples
• Answering questions
• Introduction to Supporting Newborn Transition After Birth
• Demonstrations if required during the live session (most demonstrations available in learning platform videos)

Session 3 – Tue 17 March 2026 – Supporting Newborn Transition After Birth (continued) & Bleeding After Birth – what is normal and when do we step in?

• Continue with newborn transition support
• Introduction to bleeding after birth
• When bleeding is normal vs when intervention is needed
• Stories, examples, and questions
• Demonstrations if required during the live session (most demonstrations available in learning platform videos)

Session 4 – Tue 24 March 2026 – Bleeding After Birth (continued) & Introduction to Shoulder Dystocia, Cord Issues, and Surprise Breech

• Continue with bleeding after birth
• Introduction to shoulder dystocia, cord issues, and surprise breech
• Stories, examples, and questions
•  Demonstrations if required during the live session (most demonstrations available in learning platform videos)

Session 5 – Tue 31 March 2026 – Consolidating Birth First Aid

• Opportunity to consolidate course content
• Sharing stories and examples
• Questions and group reflections
• Demonstrations if required during the live session (most demonstrations available in learning platform videos

Session 6 – Tue 28 July 2026 – Closing Call

• Final gathering to discuss, share, and answer questions
• Reflection on learning journey
• Course officially closes after this session

This schedule serves as a guideline.

We will follow it as closely as possible, while also allowing space for what naturally arises in our group process. This course unfolds with and for the people in it.

What's Included?

Pre-recorded video sessions

Real-life birth scenarios and demonstrations

Downloadable PDFs

Access to replays and course content for 5 months

Lifelong access to resource folder

Optional reflection questions and journal prompts

Community comment section and support

More Testimonials...

BEGIN LEARNING TODAY!

Ready to join us?

Choose your payment option above and begin your journey into Birth First Aid with us.

Our 14-Day Money-Back Guarantee

We want you to feel truly supported in your learning journey.

If for any reason you feel this course isn’t right for you, we offer a full refund within the first 14 days of your enrolment—no questions asked.

This time together is about trust, growth, and safety.

If it doesn’t feel like a fit, we completely understand.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be a trained midwife to take this course?
No. This course is open to anyone attending births at home in any capacity—including doulas, traditional birth attendants, student midwives, birthkeepers, and even parents. All are welcome.

Is this course suitable for hospital birthworkers?
While the course is designed with home and low-resource birth settings in mind, the principles and skills shared can be relevant and supportive to those working in hospitals, particularly in rural or under-resourced areas.

How long will I have access to the course content?
You’ll have access from Tuesday 24 February 2026 to Tuesday 4 August 2026

What if I can’t attend the live sessions?
No problem—all sessions are recorded and made available to watch within 24 hours. You can revisit them anytime while your access is open.

Are payment plans available?
Yes. We offer flexible payment plans in four currencies (USD, GBP, EUR, ZAR) to support accessibility.

Do you offer scholarships or sliding scale pricing?
Yes. Scholarships and sliding scale pricing are available for those in need. We are committed to keeping this work as accessible as possible.

Please contact us at [email protected] with your enquiry

I’ve done this course before. Is there a returning student discount?
Yes! We offer a generous discount for returning students. Please contact us to receive your returning student enrolment link.

Please contact us at [email protected] with your enquiry

Is the course available in other languages?
French and Spanish versions of this course will be available in the near future.

Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like to be added to a waiting list for either of these courses.

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE:

How The Course Developed

Raised in a unique, rural environment in the mountains of Ceres, South Africa, I was raised with a deep connection to self-sufficiency and traditional healing practices. My mother, a farmer and a self taught rural traditional midwife, was my first teacher. Her work, often done without electricity or easy access to medical facilities, revolved around growing herbs, creating natural medicines, and offering care to the local community. My mother attended births in our community, and I was surrounded by the stories and experiences shared by those women. Birth happened in the middle of the night, and life went on. This shaped my belief that, in most cases, birth is straightforward and unfolds as it should. We often focus on what can go wrong, but I believe our energy should be on creating a safe and held environment for birth. Yes, there are times when things don’t go as planned, but most births proceed naturally, especially when mother and baby are well before labour begins.

My Mission

Having attended over 400 births, I aim to empower people with the essential skills to support birth safely, particularly in situations where easily accessible emergency medical resources are far away. I’ve trained as a facilitator for both Helping Babies Breathe and Helping Mothers Survive programs, which are designed for low-resource, out-of-hospital settings. My mission is not just about teaching first aid techniques, but about creating a mindset of preparedness, calmness, and knowing when and how to intervene during rare emergencies.

Heartfelt Why

I want to preserve and honour the traditions of birth I learned from my mother—where birth is a natural event that happens in the midst of life. Birth isn’t about fear, but about trust. I believe that by fostering this mindset and teaching people basic first aid skills, we can create a safer environment for mothers and babies while reducing unnecessary interventions. The small percentage of births that require additional support shouldn’t be feared, but can be met with confidence and care, with the right tools and skills to step in when needed.

We hope you’ll join us

This course is an offering from my heart, born from years of experience, stories, and shared wisdom. Whether you’re just beginning your journey as a birthkeeper or have attended many births, this space will hold you, challenge you, and support you in growing your confidence and presence during the rare moments when mother or baby may need your calm, grounded attention.

If this feels like your path, we would be honoured to walk it with you.

With warmth and reverence,
Ruth

Important Disclaimer

This course is for educational and informational purposes only.

Participation in the Birth First Aid for Mother and Babycourse does not imply medical competence or certification in emergency care.

It is not a substitute for professional medical training or advice. Always seek the guidance of qualified health professionals regarding any medical concerns.

The views expressed are personal and may not reflect those of affiliated organisations.

Content may include sensitive material.